"older" gamers

[megamania]

In my 30's and holding two jobs with wife (non-gamer) and two kids (maybe future gamers )

I have been lucky that there are many willing players of my age and "maturity" here in SW Vermont. Weird.

In the same token, I went through a lot of groups first that was 10 years younger than me and only wanted to deal with the stuff I consider immature and negative about DnD. Many of the newer players scare me and I understand how things like Culumbine are assoiated with Dnd. (eeeerrrr )

To talk about with other peers is fruitless as they only think you are screwed up in the head or worse- a devil worshipper. So I have learned to watch whom I talk to about it.

My wife, whom is a creative person has ABSOLUTELY no need for DnD since it is make believe.

So I have people that hate it since it is make believe or "too real". Go figure.

 

[Davelozzi]

At 51, I think I am the oldest person on this board.

Nope, there's at least one older...Col Pladoh on these boards is the esteemed Gary Gygax, and he's in his upper 60s I believe. I think there's a few others above 51 around here too.

 

[cdsaint]

Well, the good news is that as you get older, so do your kids. This allows more gaming time whether or not your kids play. I'm 38, my kids are 18 and 16, and despite more than a decade of not gaming I'm back. You still have work to contend with of course, but once the kids are old enough to join in or do their own thing your game scheduling will get easier.

From 1986 through 1999 work and family ate up all my time. since 2000, I've been able to game between 1 ond 3 nights a week. My saturday game always includes my kids (and their boyfriend girlfriends when they want) as well as some of my friends. The other games are daddy recharge games, where the kids are not usually included. My only real scheduling problem right now is I'm jealous of my son, who makes it to 5 games a week. Why is youth wasted on the young?

Chris

 

[Gundark]

Diaglo, I like you. Really I do. But your schtick has gotten really boring, you know?

I 3rd that. Anyhow though that's not why we're here. I'm 30, so I'm not sure if I am in the age group. My group ranges between 21-36. I've wondered what I am going to do once I hit 40. Will I still play? I think I will as my wife games and my children probably will too (the oldest is 4 so it's a little too early to tell). This has been an interesting topic.

 

[tetsujin28]

Diaglo, I like you. Really I do. But your schtick has gotten really boring, you know?

Not me! It's almost like a signature. I like it.

 

[Krieg]

Not me! It's almost like a signature. I like it.

Perhaps you've stumbled across the answer.

For all practical purposes it IS diaglo's sig. Perhaps it is time to just formalize it.

 

[eris404]

The joke among my group is we'll all somehow end up in an Old Gamers' Home somewhere, eating liquified junk food and having to have nursing assistants read our character sheets for us.

A-ha! This is the answer to the "grow our hobby" question. Don't try to get kids interested, get retired people playing! How brilliant! Myself, I'd look forward to a retirement like that.

Anyway, our group ranges from the mid-20s to 50s. The majority fall into their early 30s. We've been playing regularly (almost every week) since 1998. There was a time when my boyfriend and I had considered moving across country and I remember feeling sick at the prospect of losing my friends - gaming aside, they are my friends and I'd hate to lose them and try to start over again. Although I'd miss my friends terribly, it is comforting to know there are resources out there if I needed them.

 

[MonsterMash]

I think the biggest problem for my group (all 30-40 age band) is the scheduling of things, hopefully it'll get easier now one member has finished her studies as it might mean we're more regular with it, but the frequency up till now has been about once a month, which isn't really often enough.

 

[gridion]

Emerges the Lurker

As the husband in question - Doña's that it - I suppose I should come out of my year-long lurk long enough to respond. At least as a show of support.

When it comes to DnD, I am typically the DM/narrator/storyteller for our group. I know a number of my players lurk here as well. I think that I speak for all of us when I say that it is only now, when the gamers in our group are pushing 30, that I am finally able to participate in the kind of stories that I have always had rattling around in my head. I recall many frustrated attempts to tell serious, high-fantasy stories to younger gamers, only to meet bored and vacant stares (or worse, belligerant characters bent on the destruction of every merchant with which they meet for the privilege of being the first to loot the shop) until the first baddie hits the hex map.

I was first introduced to "good" gaming by an older friend who DM'd for a group of people in their mid-30's; I was the (initially) annoying teenager. My DM stuck with it, though, and I was able to curb my enthusiasm enough to calm down and get into the spirit of gaming outside of an endless series of 10-by-10 boxes filled with "I attack the orcs." I met players with real characters, traveled worlds with real problems and learned to try to look through someone else's eyes.

I know that there are younger gamers out there who are both interested and willing to try more challenging gaming - I was, after all - but I believe that it is we who play the kind of games that the system was really designed for.

So, in my rambling way (as Doña knows all too well), I suppose I finally reach my point. I think that we "older" gamers should recognize that what we should never be ashamed to talk to others about what we do. The kind of role-playing that I try for is not much different (conceptually) than writing a novel, making a movie, or acting in an impromptu play. It allows us to stretch the boundaries of our imagination, practice empathizing with people of different world-views (something increasingly necessary in our increasingly divided world). We shouldn't be afraid to talk to others about it - even in the conservative world of law where I spend my days - we just need to know the right language to keep from scaring the uninitiated.

I think that, while we need to be on the lookout for our approximate peers to keep our gaming group full (heck, I'd like to be back in the position to turn away players), we should not be afraid to give youngster's a chance to show that they are as interested as we are in complex plots, ambiguous villains, and heros who may sometimes sacrifice too much.

My two cents. Now, back to lurking. The soapbox is available once more.

BTW: It is very heartening to see so many "older" gamers on this board, especially when Doña and I consider ourselves older at <30. No wonder I feel so comfortable reading your posts. On behalf of Doña and myself, thanks for taking the time to respond!

BTW2: We are in Santa Barbara, CA. Feel free to drop me a note if you're interested in chatting about our current game or participating in our all-day Lord of the Rings movie marathon.

- gridion

 

[Turanil]

finding gamers hasn't been the problem for me.

finding those willing to play real D&D has.

Original D&D(1974) is the only true game. All the other editions are just poor imitations of the real thing.

For those around here, who would like to know what this wonderful game Diaglo is speaking about may be, I suggest to download it right now: Original 1973 D&D Game ; or go to this page (and look near the bottom).